Hope in the Age of Belial

March 5, 2009, 7:22 am by dc-agape.

Geniza A Col 4:7 – Col 7:6

This entire section is about how to live in the age of Belial.  This includes the traps that Belial sets for man, and how man fell into these traps.  Different stories of the history of Israel are used to show how YHWH treated these people in the past.  And then how the righteous were spared because of their correct way of living.  The section end with how each person should live the proper life.  Man verses from Micah, Isaiah, Genesis, Deuteronomy, and Numbers are quoted.  It is quite obvious, especially since these verses are used to augment the topic, that the authors of the Damascus Document (CD) were well versed in the OT.  It also tells that they were strict followers of what was written in the OT.  Unlike Jesus, twisting the verses to fill “prophecy” these authors used verses to show that YHWH wanted them to live a certain lifestyle. 

First is the sign that the present age will be complete.  By using Micah 7:11 the authors are warning that the present age is when the boundaries of Israel no longer exist.  If anything this is the best prophet verse about Jesus, yet he never uses it.  Think about it.  Their “present age” would end when Israel was the center of the world…when did that happen?  It occurred when the Romans made Christianity their state religion.  And for millennia afterward, people continued to head towards Israel (mostly the Crusades). 

Then the authors get into the meat of how Belial traps the wicked.  The three traps that are used will catch everyone because of the power of the traps.  These traps are sex, money, and denying YHWH.  Wow, could there be any better traps than these?  Three of the worst things that the authors felt were sexual sins were polygamy, sleeping with a menstruating woman, and the law of consanguinity (Wikipedia).  The first two are straight forward, the OT was quite firm on the laws of a menstruating woman.  Polygamy is a little more questionable.  Since Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all polygamist.  But it is the law of consanguinity that was still in practice that was much broader than today’ laws.  During the writings of this document it was still acceptable to marry uncles and aunts.  This practice was despised by YHWH as written in Lev 18:13 (in fact the entire chapter is devoted to improper sexual activities).  Funny how only one verse out of thirty contains reference to gay sex! 

Very little is said about the sin of money, but the blasphemy of YHWH temples does include taking money from the sanctuary and also from widow.  And we are still dealing with today, the stealing from widows (switched.com), part at least.  Laxity in following the laws was one of the biggest sins the authors could imagine, hence the “Boundary-Shifters” and the “Shoddy-Wall-Builders” terminology.  This referred to those who pushed the boundaries set by YHWH in the covenant laws.

The authors go on to use the story of Moses and Yannes (the Pharaoh’s mage) to show how YHWH punished evil doers and those that allowed it.  Here again the authors forget that it was YHWH who hardened the hearts of the Pharaoh (Exodus 10:1).

But YHWH remembered his covenant with Israel (why is it that YHWH has to keep remembering his promises?).  Later, YHWH raises up insightful men and wise men to dig a well.  This well is a spiritual well.  The diggers are the “repentant of Israel”.  The tools they used were the “Rod” or the interpreter of the Law (a teacher).  This explanation of the well ends with the promise of “one who teaches righteousness in the Last Days”.  Whether they are referring to someone like Jesus or their own “Teacher of Righteousness” the text does not give much of an idea.

In the last part of this section are the rules to live by.  Separation from the wicked people of the time was required.  Separation of “dirty” money was money collected from the Temple.  They could not rob the poor, the widows, or the orphans.  Sounds familiar doesn’t it?  They had to keep the Sabbath and the holy days.  They had to “love his brother as himself” support the poor, needy, and alien.  Sounds even more familiar, right?  They could not hold grudges from day to day.  I wish that happened more today!  And if they did all these things they would have life for thousands of generations.  Well we know how that turned out.  Someone in the last 1000 generations screwed up, and now we are paying the price.  Isn’t interesting how YHWH promises this long lasting peace and happiness if we do exactly what he wants?  But as soon as one person messes up, it’s at least 4 generations of hell on earth!  Worst, it takes YHWH a couple hundred years after that before he will look with favor upon us.  Basically, we are doomed to failure, but at least it gives the religious an excuse for why their god does nothing.  But to a gay atheist, this is just a cover up.  YHWH does not exist, and that explains why he does not act in our time.

Posted in Damascus Document, Dead Sea Scroll, Freewill | Print | 6 Comments »